Pakistan's batsman Umar Akmal arrested

Lahore, Feb 2: Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal was on Saturday (February 1) arrested for allegedly thrashing a traffic warden and tearing his uniform after he was stopped for violating a signal, here.

Police said the cricketer had a face-off with traffic warden Zeshan at Gulberg's Firdous market area here. Umar, 23, the youngest of the Akmal brothers, was challaned for the offence by the warden, which led to the argument. "He (Umar) caught him by the neck and also tore his (traffic warden's) uniform," Tariq Aziz, SSP Gulberg station, told reporters.

Akmal was taken to the police station and case under sections 186, 279 and 353 of Pakistan Penal Code (for obstructing in the official work, tearing police uniform, and misbehaving and hurling threats) was registered against him.

"It is a very serious offence to assault an officer on duty and tear his uniform. We have registered a case against Umar under three sections," he said. Umar, on the other hand, counter-alleged that the warden had abused and slapped him.

"The language used by the police officer was not appropriate and he had no right to talk to me like that. He also slapped me. The place where the incident took place has CCTV cameras all around and I would ask the authorities to just look at the footage and then decide whether I have done any wrong," Umar said.

"Police officers had requested me to reconcile the matter with the warden but, instead, they registered a case against me," he said, adding he had also submitted a complaint against the warden in question for misbehaving with him.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness said that both Umar and the traffic warden hit each other. "Both (cricketer and warden) hit each other. Other wardens present there interfered and separated them," said Mudassar Sheikh, an eyewitness.